Anyway, I came across this old picture. The civilian is my great grandfather. The other man is his brother. Grandpa was born in 1872, so I am guessing that the picture was around 1920s? What branch of military and what rank would he be? Is my time quesstimate correct? Thanks a lot!
Inverted chevrons on the sleeve strongly suggest U.S. Navy; however, I’m not familiar with what the Coast Guard and/or Merchant Marine were wearing at the time, which may have been similar.
The insignia looks like that of a Navy Chief Petty officer.
Navy, CPO agreed. However, I can’t get past those chins. They don’t make them like that anymore. :)
It looks to me like he is with the U.S. Lifesaving Service. The lifesavers — or surfmen — of the USLS became the Coast Guard about 1915, if memory serves.
btt
There’s a good reference at:
http://naval-reference.net/uniforms/ww1/ww1_uniform_index.html
Could be Explosive ordinance Disposal (EOD)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_ratings
The cap on this page for Chief Petty Officers certainly seems to match your ggfather’s bro’s. Cap is below insignia for CPO’s, c. WWI.
http://naval-reference.net/uniforms/ww1/ww1_ranks_enlisted_1.html
Unidentified chief, blue dress uniform, 1926.
From the time of the adoption of the rank of chief petty officer by the Coast Guard in 1920, the Coast Guard chief petty officer's uniform paralleled that of the Navy's CPO uniform. With minor modifications, including the addition of a Coast Guard shield device on the right sleeve, this essentially "Navy" uniform remained the regulation uniform for Coast Guard chiefs until the adoption of the "Bender Blues" in 1975.
Not saying its Coast Guard, but this photo shows a uniform from 1920's, and the caption says its basically the same as the Navy. No bow tie.
Is he really the brother of THE Billy Mitchell?
It’s a Navy uniform.
The anchor on the cap has U.S.N. on it.
Could be Explosive ordinance Disposal (EOD)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_ratings
I think its Navy Petty Officer First class. However, there might have been some standard changes since that time.
Sorry, make that a Chief Petty Officer with the anchor in his cover.
vaudine
I can’t identify the uniform. But I do know Hillary would have no respect for it.
I can’t identify the uniform. But I do know Hillary would have no respect for it.
I took a closer look at the lower sleeve device and believe it is the ex-apprentice device. This means that the GMC in the picture had actually served as an apprentice under the master of a specialty. In this case, I would think he served under a master ordnanceman (the flaming bomb) and earned his own journey or master level rating.
CWO4(Bos’n) USCG, retired
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